Wrench for bottle and jar tops



Jan. 21, 1947. J; $00

WRENCH FOR BOTTLE AND JAR TOPS Filed July 5, 1944 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y3.

Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRENCH FOR. BOTTLE AND JAR TOPS James Russell Cook, Woodbury, N. J.

Application July 3, 1944, Serial No. 543,316

1 Claim. .1 The device forming the subject matter of this specification is a wrench, adapted to be used in loosening the threaded cover of a jar or can.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described which can be made cheaply out of stampings, and preferably steel stampings, the requisite strength being at the same time afforded.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting and actuating the gripping slide, and to improve the construction of the bell crank lever which actuates the slide, novel means being provided for mounting the bell crank lever and making it readily accessible to an operator.

Within the scope of what is claimed, the structure described and shown may be changed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in bottom plan, a jar wrench constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

For convenience in the description of parts, that end of the wrench to which the letter A is applied will be considered the forward end, the rear end being marked by the letter B. It should be presumed that the wrench is in the position of Fig. 2, such terms as upwardly and downwardly being selected accordingly,

The handle of the wrench comprises an elongated body I, having depending, convexed flanges 2 which are extended practically the whole length of the body. The flanges 2 reinforce the.

body I and afford an easy hand-grip. At its forward end, the body I is provided with a depending, convexed jaw 3, the rear edge of which is concaved and serrated as shown at 4, to acquire a good hold on the top 5 of a can or jar 6. Depending guides I are struck from the body I and are supplied with openings 8. Ahead of the foremost guide I, the body I is provided with an elongated slot 9.

A slide or rack bar II] is mounted for reciprocation in the openings 8 of the guides 1. The slide II) is provided along one longitudinal edge with a rack II'. At its forward end, the slide III is provided with a broadened head or jaw I2, the forward edge of which is concaved and serrated, as shown at I4, to cooperate with the corresponding part 4 of the jaw 3 in gripping the can top 5. The upstanding post I5 of an operating projection is secured in the head I2 of the slide 2 I0 and fits closely but slidably in the slot 9 of the body I. Since the head I2 is broadened, a secure anchorage for the lower end of the post I5 is afforded. The post I5 carries a flat, transverse finger piece I6.

One of the flanges 2 of the body I is provided with an integral, lateral U-shaped bracket I1, in which are mounted the ends of a fulcrum pin I8.

A bell crank lever I9 is fulcrumed on the pin I8 within the bracket H. The longer transverse dimension of the long arm 20 of the bell crank lever I9 is disposed at right angles to the plane in which the bell crank lever swings, and consequently a fiat surface is presented to the fingers of an operator gripping the handle. The length of the short arm 23 of the bell crank lever is greater than the distance between the fulcrum member l8 and the rack I I, measured in a direction at right angles to the rack, whereby the segment 24 may be brought into and out of engagement with the rack, through the instrumentality of the long arm 20 which is located alongside the handle or body I'.

Adjacent to the bracket I1, the bell crank lever I9 is twisted as shown at 2I, so that the forward portion 22 of the bell crank lever, and the short arm 23, are disclosed parallel to the plane in which the bell crank lever swings. This construction strengthens the mounting of the bell crank lever I9 on the fulcrum pin I8, and gives strength to the short arm 23, the short arm being provided with a segment 24, which may be brought into and out of engagement with the rack II on the slide I0.

Within the bracket IT, a spring 25 is engaged about the fulcrum pin I8, the spring engaging the bracket and the part 22 of the long arm 20 of the bell crank I9, to swing the arm 20 of the bell crank lever outwardly until the part 22 of the arm 20 abuts against the rear end of the bracket, the segment 24 being clear of the rack II on the slide II].

In practical operation, the jaw 3 of the handle body I is engaged with the periphery of the jar top 5. By means of the finger piece I6, the slide ID is advanced until the head I2 of the slide engages the periphery of the jar top 5. The long arm 29 of the bell crank lever I 9 is swung toward the handle body I, the segment 24 of the bell crank lever moves into engagement with the rack I I and the slide II), the slide is advanced, and the jar top 5 is gripped firmly between the parts 3 and I2. Lateral movement of the handle will cause the top 5 to be unthreaded from the jar 6,

4 ened jaw overlapping the handle on opposite sides of the slot and cooperating with the jaw of the handle, an operating projection carried by the broadened jaw and movable in the slot, a lever fulcrumed on th handle, a rack carried by the slide, and a segment carried by the lever and moved thereby into and out of engagement with the rack.

JAMES RUSSELL COOK. 

